PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martell Hennessey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonio Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hennessey
vs
Ortiz

195 cm
18
213 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martell Hennessey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonio Ortiz!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Cecil Peabody and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hennessey gets a clinch.
Hennessey misses with a knee strike.
Ortiz should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Hennessey is working for takedown but Ortiz is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hennessey fails to pull guard.

Ortiz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hennessey wants to clinch up but Ortiz keeps it at a distance.
Ortiz swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ortiz tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Hennessey counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hennessey won't allow Ortiz to sweep him here.

Hennessey is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hennessey trying to control the position from guard on top but Ortiz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hennessey prevents Ortiz from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz pulls Hennessey in close to his closed guard and prevents Hennessey from doing any damage or advancing position.

Hennessey gets to his feet - Ortiz follows without any prompting.

Ortiz shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Ortiz showed some decent athleticism there.
Hennessey won't allow Ortiz to pass to mount.
Hennessey is in trouble now - Ortiz has advanced to mount!

Ortiz stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ortiz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hennessey wants to improve his position but Ortiz is controlling well.

Ortiz is working for a submission of some sort.
Ortiz looks gassed!
Hennessey wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz trying to control the pace.
Ortiz trying to mount his opponent but Hennessey defends it.
Ortiz wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hennessey keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hennessey moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ortiz preventing the sweep.
Hennessey will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hennessey trying to control the position.
Hennessey looking for a sweep. Not yet Hennessey, not yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hennessey is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Antonio Ortiz will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hennessey misses with a takedown attempt

and Ortiz counters by clinching up.

Ortiz escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ortiz doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hennessey counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ortiz won't be happy with that.
Ortiz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Hennessey advances to full mount.
Ortiz is looking to get to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz is bucking up trying to escape but Hennessey cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Hennessey controlling from the full mount.
Hennessey raining down shots from the mount!
Ortiz in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hennessey controlling the pace for now.
Martell Hennessey overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hennessey seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Ortiz for as long as he can get away with.
Hennessey trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hennessey takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hennessey with a couple of short strikes.
Hennessey scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hennessey controlling from the full mount.
Ortiz wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Hennessey get's back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hennessey shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Ortiz is staying active underneath Hennessey, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Martell Hennessey just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Hennessey defending well as Ortiz loads up on a big left hand.

Hennessey shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hennessey is in the full mount, landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martell Hennessey dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Ortiz slaps away a takedown attempt from Hennessey, before circling back to the center of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hennessey looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ortiz shoots in for a double leg but Hennessey sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hennessey fails with the takedown

and Ortiz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ortiz.
Ortiz trying to control but Hennessey is working from the bottom.
Hennessey wants to stand up but Ortiz is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hennessey avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hennessey is working an open guard so Ortiz takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ortiz throws a combination that misses
and Hennessey counters with a straight right hand.
Martell Hennessey is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hennessey circles away from the clinch attempt
and Hennessey counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ortiz doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hennessey counters with a shoot takedown. Ortiz fights it but they end up in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ortiz avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hennessey prevents Ortiz from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hennessey trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ortiz wants to stand but Hennessey is controlling the position.
Ortiz is trying to keep Hennessey in close.
Ortiz keeping moving, preventing Hennessey from controlling successfully.
Hennessey is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Hennessey stands up and waves to Ortiz to follow him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz tries to clinch

and Hennessey counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Ortiz looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hennessey is one step ahead there.
Hennessey throws a big right hand that misses.
Ortiz keeping full guard, as Hennessey tries to pass.
Hennessey won't allow Ortiz to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hennessey trying to control but Ortiz is working from the bottom.
Hennessey looking to sit in guard and control but Ortiz gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hennessey trying to control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Hennessey scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martell Hennessey showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hennessey has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:28
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martell Hennessey!